


The Paths That Our Family Walks

by wanderfalken



Category: Revolution (TV)
Genre: Gen, Miles never left the militia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-20 06:24:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5994757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderfalken/pseuds/wanderfalken
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Slight AU where Miles never leaves Monroe and all the Mathesons join them instead of just Rachel.  Miles and Monroe start threatening Charlie in order to get the power off her parents and so they escape.  They live in the Plains Nation until Ben, Danny and Maggie are taken by slavers and so Charlie has to make it back to Miles and Monroe in order to save her family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

I remember living in Philadelphia with uncle Miles. We had a large house next door to Miles’ with a dog called Rusty. Miles was never around a lot, he was always fighting rebels or other Republics, but was kind to Danny and me. The reason he wanted us there in Philly was always kept from me. I naively assumed he just wanted to live near his family but dad told me after that he wanted us there to turn the power back on. My parents were part of the team who accidentally turned it off and could possibly restore it. But dad told me that they refused to do it because they didn’t want Monroe to have that power and also turning the power on would somehow kill Danny. Miles and Monroe used to get so angry at my parents for refusing, that they tortured them and threatened them. Once when I was about twelve I was taken as hostage and made to live with Monroe for a week. I wasn’t badly treated; all I remember was eating fancy food and playing board games. But mum went mental. She single handily attacked Monroe’s house, killing every guard on the way to rescue me.

                When she got me back home, she told dad to run as far away as possible with Danny and I. When he asked what she was going to do, she said she was going to make Miles and Monroe pay. He couldn’t persuade her not to and we didn’t have much time to go. So we fled Philly and hid for a few weeks. After that we tried to look for mum. She never did show and there was no news from any of the inns or towns we visited that Monroe or Miles were dead. So we fled the Monroe Republic into the Plains Nations. There we joined a small community of about 20 people and began living as farmers. Dad wanted to keep us with a very low profile, not to mention he had fallen in love with a woman named Maggie. It was a very safe life but a very boring one. That was until I went out hunting one day.

                I had been in the woods hunting rabbits for their meat and their furs. Danny joked that if I caught fifty I could make a coat out of them and I bet him I could make a coat in just twenty. So I had caught six already and I decided to rest by the stream for a bit. I began to hear voices and fighting. So I sprinted to the edges of the trees, but kept myself hidden from view. On the road was a huge group of people, with wagons and horses. They were facing away from me, and to the village. It was then I noticed that some of the wagons had cages on the back. These were slavers! I receded back into the trees and decided to climb a tree to get a better look. As I climbed, I could see over the people to the village. It was aflame and bloody in battle. The slavers were armed with huge swords and had body paint like a war clan. They were dragging people from the village and pulling them towards the wagons. They thrust them into the crude cages. Some were bleeding and some were barely conscious. Amongst them I spotted dad and Maggie. Dad was cut on his arm and Maggie was busy tying fabric from her shirt around it. Neither of them saw me, hidden in the tree line.

                I scanned the wagon for Danny. Where was he? I looked back to the village to see the men were all now heading towards the wagons. The tallest one lumbered closer and I saw he had a body over one shoulder. It was an unconscious Danny. The man threw Danny in a different wagon to dad and Maggie and he slumped to the floor. I could see his bloody face and red hands. He must have put up a fight. His eyes flickered in pain but he managed to open them. He was looking desperately around him and I risked waving at him. He caught sight of me and checking that no one else was looking towards him or me, nodded in recognition. I pointed to my own eye, to point out the swelling that was starting round his. His felt it gently and winced. He motioned that I should go with a small hand movement. I shook my head, where would I go? He looked round at the slavers, probably thinking what I was beginning to think: how were they going to get out of this? Looking back up at me, he put his hands with the tips of his thumbs touching and his index fingers pointing. At first I couldn’t work out what it was, but then I realized it was an ‘M’. Miles.

                I mouthed the name back to him and he nodded. He was right, Miles had an army. They could take out a bunch of slavers. Or at least buy the people off them. But Miles was all the way in his Republic, in Philadelphia. It would take me weeks to get there and weeks to get back. But, what other choice did I have? I was vastly outnumbered by slavers (dad’s choice to keep us with a low profile meant that we had no other friends outside of the village) and if I was caught by the slavers I would be sold on and lose my family forever. So, on my own, I needed to cross the wild and dangerous territories all the way to Philly. Back to Uncle Miles, the Butcher of Baltimore, and his totally sane friend Sebastian Monroe. Since we’d left Philly all we heard was terrible stories about Miles and Monroe and the uncle from my memories had become monstrous to me. I also had an agonizing worry that mum was dead and Miles had done it. But what other choice did I have?

                So I shrunk back into the trees and waited for the slavers to go. Then I made it to the blackened village. It had been raided but in a hurry, so that if you knew the village like I did there was still plenty of supplies to be found. I took a rucksack and found a sleeping bag. Next I filled it with any long lasting food and Maggie’s on-the-go medical kit. I strapped a sword to my leg, more to deter people than to fight with and I stuffed some other knives into my pockets. I took my crossbow, a few clothes and dad’s map and compass. Next, I dug through everyone’s secret spaces and found some diamonds and gold in the village. If I wasn’t robbed I could make it a couple of weeks on them. I then refilled my water bottle and looked around. Our house and the village looked so small and empty now. With nothing else to do and a good five hours of daylight left, I consulted the map and began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First story on this site, the formatting is confusing me so much.   
> I have a tumblr under the same username if you're interested.


	2. 2

By sundown I was unfortunately in the middle of nowhere with no sign of any civilisation. So, I choose somewhere fairly hidden and made camp for the night. It was a rough night’s sleep filled with fear, but I was so used to waking up and checking Danny’s breathing that I managed to check my surroundings on and off throughout the night. I woke fairly early and was happier to go on, rather than try and lie in. I decided the area was uninhabitable because it lacked a decent water supply. There were trickles of streams and a scummy pond, but there was nothing to sustain more than a passer-by. So, I rationed my water in case of the streams stopping and carried on. I ate from my supplies cautiously too, I was not sure if the places on the map would be populated. I did manage to hunt a bit though, so I had squirrel to eat.

After a week, I reached a town. It wasn’t fortified which was promising and it was fairly large. As I reached the centre I found a market of about five different stalls. I approached the first which was selling apples and potatoes and asked on the price. I realised that I had little idea on how much they should cost as we grew most of our own stuff. The stall holder was a leathery, old woman who asked if I had anything for trade. Once I replied I had nothing to trade but I had diamonds she laughed at me.

“You can buy the whole cart with a diamond, dear.”

“Oh right, well I certainly don’t need that much food for me.” I thought on what to do next.

“How about board at mine tonight and enough apples and potatoes to keep you on your journey in exchange for one diamond?”

I looked at her, she seemed kind. I didn’t want to be naïve but it was a good deal.

“Dinner as well?” I asked and she laughed at that.

“Of course dear, if you help me close down my stall. I was about to shut for the day anyway.”

So I helped her pile apples and potatoes into crates and lug them to her house. It was an old house and it was fairly shabby but in a lived in, friendly way. As we went in she pointed to a photograph hung on the wall.

“That’s my John, heaven bless him. It’s been our farm for forty years. And somewhere around this house is my son, Harold. He’s the one who’s been growing my potatoes. Now, you help me make dinner and after that I heat some water so you can have a wash.”

“Thank you so much for this.”

“Don’t worry about it dear, you peel these potatoes for me. Say, you’re awful young and pretty to be wandering around out there on your own. Don’t you have a family?”

“Oh I do. I’m heading towards them now, they live in Philadelphia.”

“Philadelphia! My, what a long way to go and into the Monroe Republic no less. Now the Plains Nation aren’t the most peaceful place in America but they’re nowhere near as strict as the Republic. You must want to see your family badly, if you’re going all the way to Philadelphia.”

I began to peel the potatoes and turned as a fat man walked in. He looked at me curiously.

“Who’s this, mum?” He pointed at me.

“This girl is paying to stay here tonight, so you be nice Harold. Can you go light the fire out the back so I can start cooking us dinner?”

He nodded and left out the back door. I sized him up in my head. I could probably take him in a fight, but I would have to play dirty. Hopefully he wasn’t going to attack me for my diamonds. We cooked the potatoes into thin slices which I vaguely remember eating before the blackout. There was a few other vegetables mixed into a sauce and I ate my fill. She heated some water above the fire for me to wash with and I took it upstairs to the spare room. I scrubbed as much of me as I could, helped by her homemade soap and then cleaned my clothes. I hung them up to dry and crawled into the room’s single bed. It was a nice room, and she was a nice lady as long as she didn’t try and burgle me in my sleep.

I left late the next morning after accepting breakfast and a package full of apples and potatoes. I gave her one of the diamonds which she greedily took and wished me well on my way. Then, I checked my map and started walking. As the day wore on I passed two more inhabited towns but I chose not to stop on my way, instead camping past them in a wooded area. The next week was uneventful, consisting of eating mainly potatoes and apples. When I was running low on supplies I stopped in a small town, this time choosing a hotel for the night. In exchange for a diamond I got two meals, a bed and two loaves of bread for my journey. I was beginning to guess that diamonds were worth more than I was giving them for such small pieces of rock.

On the next day I spotted a sign, large and painted in block capitals: **MONROE REPUBLIC**. I was nearly there! I passed the sign, slightly disappointed that there was no large fence surrounding the entire Republic. Once I was in the Republic I walked for two days with no sign of an inhabited town and even though I hunted rabbits, I was beginning to run very low on food. So I changed my tactics and began to walk along the big roads that led across the country. Some were filled with rusting cars but most had at least one lane cleared for wagons to pass along. I didn’t like how open the road was, for I could been easily seen and there was little cover but it was a quicker route. It was on one of these roads that I was stopped by a lone horseman in blue uniform.

“Are you lost?” He asked in, trying to sound official but sounding more surprised than anything.

“No.” I told him, noting that he had an actual gun on him.

“But you’re so far from anything. Where are you heading?”

“Philadelphia.”

“Are you serious? You’re walking to Philadelphia? That will take you about three weeks!”

I swore. I thought Philly was a lot closer than that. Danny was probably sold by now and so was dad and Maggie.

“Why are you going that far?”

“To see family. It’s important. Really important.” I sighed and sat down.

“Well, I’m not allowed to do this, but I could give you a lift some of the way. I’m a runner and I’m heading to Pittsburgh. That’s most the way there. It’ll be a lot quicker on horse.”

“Would you actually? That would be amazing!” I smiled at him in a slightly flirty way. With a horse, it would take half the time. “Can your horse take us both?”

“She’s strong, she’ll manage. What’s your name, by the way?”

“Charlie.”

“Nice to meet you Charlie, I’m Jason.”


	3. 3

Jason wasn’t too much of a talker but he seemed fairly happy to have me sitting behind him as we rode (although that was probably because my arms were wrapped round his waist.) I didn’t really have a choice on that one, being stubborn was not a good enough reason to fall off a horse. We made camp fairly early and Jason insisted on hunting us dinner. He returned after an hour with wood pigeons which we roasted over a fire.

  
“So if your family is in Philly, why are you out here?” He questioned.

  
“Not all my family is, just my uncle. I just really want to see him.”

“My parents live in Philly. It’s a nice place.”

“Why are you going to Pittsburgh then?”

“That’s where I’m based at the moment. I run messages across the Republic, sometimes from Pittsburgh to Philly but often to bases at border patrols. I’m trying to get promoted though into some role with actual fighting like my dad gets to do. He’s a Major.”

“Couldn’t he get you promoted then?”

“No. He wants me to earn his way up like he did. Which means years of boring jobs like running letters and messages to people. Who joins an army to become a postman?”  
He was silent after that, brooding. I began to wonder if he expected me to sleep with him in exchange for the lift on the horse. He was fairly attractive and muscular but I was beyond inexperienced. There was no men in the village my age and although a few of the older men had given me wistful looks, they were all married or had kids. Jason however made no such attempt on me. He simply unrolled his own sleeping bag and asked if I wanted first or second watch. I took second and quickly fell asleep.  
It was still dark when Jason jolted me awake to take over the watch. I unwillingly woke up but stayed in the warmth of my sleeping bag. The fire was out by now but our camp was lit only by the stars. I looked up to them trying to find the constellations my dad had told me about. It was when we left Philly that he told Danny and I about them. We were on our own with no real sense of direction but dad would tell us that mum too was looking at those stars, thinking about us. I realise now that dad had no way of knowing that mum was looking at the stars or if she was even still alive. If she was, then she might be in Philly.  
Jason woke just after dawn and suggested we get going. I agreed and rolled up my sleeping bag. We ate some oat thing that Jason had and set off.

“Jason, are Miles Matheson and Sebastian Monroe still alive?” I asked curiously.

“What? Of course.” He gave me a confused look.

“And is Monroe still in charge?”

“Yes. What’s with these weird questions?”

“Nothing really. I’ve been to Philly before but that was so long ago, I wanted to know if anything has changed.”

“I doubt it’s changed. It’s got richer over the last few years, it even has a steam railway. But Monroe and Matheson are still in charge.”

“You ever met either of them?”

“I’ve seen them from a distance and my dad know them pretty well but I’ve never talked to them.”

“What are they like?”

“Scary. Just seeing Monroe will give you shivers. And you should see Matheson in a fight, it’s beyond brutal. There’s no end to the lengths they will go to protect the Republic.”  
There was admiration in his voice and it slightly scared me. We rode on for most of the day. At one point he told me to get off and walk for a bit whilst he checked in at an outpost. I walked through the woods to miss it and met him back on the road. He had extra supplies for us including some pork which we shared. It was amazing and he laughed at how much I enjoyed it. We continued until it was dark and then made camp again. Jason told me that tomorrow we would reach Pittsburgh and after that it would be around a week’s walk to Philly. He was to go to the base in Monroeville to get his next assignment, which might be heading east. If so he could give me a lift for more of the way. I guess part of him liked having some company, being a runner seemed like a lonely job.

We reached Pittsburgh late the next day and he dropped me off at the outskirts. We agreed to meet by the edge of the base in the evening when Jason would know where he was next heading. With any luck it could be Philly. I wandered into Pittsburgh to look at the city. It had been years since I’d been in a city and it was a strange experience. Monroe’s soldiers sauntered around the town with guns slung over their backs. There were many bars and actual shops that sold a whole range of foods I’d forgotten existed. I picked up a supplies and then found a bar which served food. There I bought myself some more pork, even though it was expensive, just because it was so good. After my dinner I slowly walked to the base that Jason was at and approached from the trees so I could see into the base without being spotted. He had told me that there was row of green tents with a blue one at the end and I should wait behind that, so I crouched down and waited.

“Hey!” A voice shouted and I whipped my head round. Behind me was a single soldier with his gun pointing at my face. “What are you doing here?”

“Nothing! Just waiting for a friend.”

“Well it looks like your spying on us. Get up. Hands behind your head and walk slowly into the camp.”

“Ok.” I got up slowly and began walking forward. “Listen, I am just here to see my friend. His name’s Jason.”

We entered the camp and another soldier saw me and approached.

“Who’s this?” He demanded.

“She was spying on our camp, sir.” The first soldier pushed me in front of him.

“I wasn’t, I was just meeting my friend, Jason. He’s a soldier.” I told them.

“We don’t have any soldiers on this base named Jason. I think you’re a spy that following Monroe. It’s mighty convenient that you’re at this camp at the same time he is, isn’t it?”

“No! I’m just meeting Jason, he’s a runner. We were travelling together.”

“Travelling together? Is he your boyfriend? Has he been having some fun whilst working? Well darling, wouldn’t rather have some fun with someone of a higher rank?” The soldiers exchanged grins with each other and my stomach lurched.

“No thank you. I’ll just like to leave.” I told them firmly.

“Take her into the store tent no one will be in there.” He ordered and the other soldier grabbed hold of me.

“No!” I yelled. He began pulling me and I tried to fight him. In front of us some horsemen began to go past and the soldier put his hand over my mouth.

“You’ll be quiet,” he whispered. “Or I’ll kill you.”

He pressed me behind him so that I was obscured from the view of the horsemen. There was about ten of them and two wagons. On one of the horses was someone I recognised. Sebastian Monroe.

“Monroe!” I shouted at him. Monroe didn’t react. The soldier tightened his grip on me and hissed at me to be silent.

“Sebastian Monroe!” I yelled louder. Nothing.

“BASS!” I screamed, using my uncle’s nickname for him. His head whipped round and in fierce annoyance he rode up to us. The soldier loosened his grasp on me. Monroe glared down at me.

“Who are you to dare call me that?” His voice was like ice. I shook off the soldier and stood up, trying to look confident.

“I am Charlie Matheson.” I said. Trying to hope my uncle’s name would save. Trying to hope that my mother hadn’t jeopardised things for me. Trying to hope that this wasn’t the moment that Monroe killed me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Monroeville is actually a place, so I had to mention it lol


	4. 4

“Charlie?!” Monroe yelled in surprise. He jumped off his horse and approached me. “You’ve grown up so much.” He said uncertainly before smiling at me and, in probably the weirdest moment in my life, he pulled me tightly to his chest and hugged me. 

“Thank God you’re ok. When your mum broke you out we’d thought you’d been taken by rebels. There was rumours you were dead.” He said, releasing me from the hug. 

“What happened to my mum?” I asked him. He ran a hand through his hair and pulled a strained face. 

“You’ll have to ask Miles on that one. Is that why you’re here Charlie? What are you doing in this camp?”

“I wasn’t meant to be in the camp. Those guys caught me and were trying to rape me.” I pointed at the soldiers, who now turned white. 

“Is that true? You dared to hurt her? Miles’ niece?” Monroe snarled, fire dancing in his eyes. One man tried to reply with a no but Monroe had already pulled out his sword. In one angry strike he cut the first man down. He jumped at the second man and stabbed him so hard with his sword that it went through him and out the other side. He pulled the sword out, disgusted, before wiping the blood on the body. 

“You’re safe now you’re with me, Charlie.” He smiled and put his sword back in his sheath. I disagreed, looking between Monroe and two bodies on the floor, but I dared not voice my opinion. “My men and I will take where you want to go.” 

“I want to go to uncle Miles.” 

He turned to one of his men. “Get Charlie a horse! We’re going to Philly.” 

Once I had a horse we set off out of the camp. Monroe rode next to me, attracting curious glances from the soldiers. 

“Where have you been all this time?” He asked. 

“The Plains Nations.” 

“It’s dangerous there, you shouldn’t have left the Republic. How did you get to Pittsburgh?” 

“I walked.” 

“You walked all this way? Who with?” 

“No one. I was alone.”

“That’s crazy and really dangerous, Charlie. You must be a Matheson.” He shook his head at me, and I wondered if he was referring to mum or Miles. “So, why did you risk walking so far?”

“I need help.” I said, and he looked at me surprised. “Dad, Danny and Maggie have been captured by slavers.” 

“Who’s Maggie?”

“Really? That’s what you ask? She is dad’s girlfriend. Now, will you and Miles help me?” 

He laughed. “Of course, you are Miles’ family. We’ll just have to be careful not to declare war by entering the Plains Nations.” 

***

It took us three days to get to Philly but I didn’t mind. There was hot food twice a day and I even had a tent to myself at night. The journey also felt quicker, firstly because of the pre-Blackout countdown signs to Philly and secondly because I had company. Monroe would ask me questions as we rode along and tell me about Philly. In the evenings he ate with me before going to his own tent. After he left the soldiers were chattier and I could tell they were all curious to who I was. On the third day, we neared Philly and Monroe sent a runner on to announce our arrival and to find where Miles was. He returned an hour later announcing that Miles was in a meeting at a bar, Monroe laughed and said that was typical.

Soon, we reached Philly. The city was guarded but in a casual way, with no heavy fortifications. The place was surprisingly clean and well-kept and the skyscrapers even had people living in them. I could see their candles glowing in the windows. People walked around without weapons on show and there was more children than I was used to. It would be idyllic except how far back people shrunk from Monroe. They were politely moving out of the way, but it was definitely a very wide berth. Even these people feared him. We rode with ease through the city to a large stables, where we dismounted and the other soldiers left. Monroe led me to where Miles was. I was excited, once I had Miles’ help I could rescue everyone.


	5. 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of Jeremy's perspective for this chapter.

Jeremy Baker had never been so shocked in his life. He was relaxing in his favourite bar with the other senior officers when suddenly a young woman ran up to General Matheson and jumped at him, screaming “Miles!” The General of the Monroe Militia, the Butcher of Baltimore himself was presently floored by the force of the hug from the skinny blonde girl. 

“Hey!” He groaned from the floor. Tom Neville wrenched her up from the floor and held a gun to her face. 

“Do you not know that this is General Matheson? Who are you to attack him?” He asked. 

She smiled at him like he was an idiot. She was fearless against the gun pressed to her temple. 

“I’m Charlie Matheson.” 

Miles pushed the gun from her face with a hand and swept the girl into a bear hug. 

“Sir,” Neville said tentatively. “I wasn’t aware you knew her, otherwise I would have never have-”

“Don’t worry about it, Tom.” Miles sighed, letting go of Charlie and turning to address the other officers. “Men, this is my niece. Treat her with the up most respect.” 

Jeremy recognised Charlie now. She used to live in Philly, when the Republic was new. He thought she had died in a rebel attack. Obviously she hadn’t and had instead grown into a very attractive young woman. 

“Why are you in Philly, Charlie?” He asked, pulling up a chair to their table. 

“To find you. I need your help. Danny, dad and Maggie have been kidnapped by slavers and I need you to help me free them.” 

“Who’s Maggie?” 

Charlie huffed loudly at this. “That’s just what Monroe said when I told him. Why is that the important thing you take from this? My family have been sold into slavery!” 

“When did you meet Bass?” 

“When she got attacked.” Said Monroe walking forwards to our group. Jeremy hadn’t noticed him enter the bar, but he like all the other men stood and saluted him. He pulled up another chair and poured some whisky from the bottle in the middle into a spare glass. Everyone sat back down and he handed the drink to Charlie before pouring himself one. 

“You’re not meant to be back for weeks, Bass?” Miles questions. 

“I only got as far as Pittsburgh and then I found Charlotte. So we rode back here. The idiot had walked all by herself from the Plains Nation.”

“On your own? Charlie anything could have happened to you!” 

“I had no choice, Uncle Miles. My whole village was taken by slavers. And I was fine until some of your men tried to rape me.” 

“Our men?” Miles fumed, exchanging looks with Monroe. 

“I saved her from harm Miles and punished those responsible.” Monroe said evenly. “The whole division is in retraining as well.” 

“I’ll put the entire army in retraining if someone tries that again.” Miles muttered. 

“I’m fine Miles. It’s dad and Danny who need help.” 

“Don’t worry, we’ll get them,” Miles smiled at Charlie, “look round this table. These are the best in the Militia. My senior officers, any one of them could retrieve your family by themselves. This is Tom Neville-” 

“Nice to meet you Ms. Matheson. I hope you won’t hold my earlier actions against me.” Tom smooth talked, as usual, holding out his hand.

“Of course I won’t.” She shook his hand but didn’t smile. 

“This is Jeremy Baker.” 

Jeremy held out his hand. “It’s going to be fun having you around.” He told Charlie, deflecting the glare from Miles. They shook hands and she smiled back, a little flirty. 

“This is Nora Clayton, weapons specialist and my girlfriend-” 

“You have a girlfriend?” Charlie burst out. She stared at Miles in confusion. “I thought you were gay?” 

Jeremy tried to hide his smirk. 

“Why’d you think that?” Miles said. 

“Well that everyone, you included, said Monroe was family and you were always together. I just thought, that you two were like secretly married or something.” 

Jeremy couldn’t stop himself laughing at this. Monroe was reddening and Miles was giving Jeremy a death stare. So he began drinking his drink to cover his smile. This little lady had come in, hugged the scariest man he knew and voiced what the entire Republic had been thinking but hadn’t had the balls to say. Having Charlie around was definitely going to be fun.


End file.
